Because I Understand
by Cardinal67
Summary: Velvet Scarlatina has always been a victim. Her entire life being a cycle of abuse and neglect. One day, after a particularly fierce attack by Cardin, a certain ninja comes to help. Velvet discovers that she isn't the only tortured soul in this school.


…**Because I Understand**

* * *

It had become a daily ritual for Velvet to go to the library after classes. It was, most days, one of the only places where she could be alone; Free from the judgement of others and constant bullying she'd experienced throughout her life. Today was not one such day Velvet realized as she noticed four boys enter the large building. She knew what was about to happen, having experienced it almost daily for 2 months now, but it didn't make what followed any easier. _"I won't let them see." _Velvet promised herself as Cardin and his team tugged on her long, brown, bunny-ears. _"I'm stronger than them." _She kept repeating to herself as the pulls grew stronger and faster.

"I gotta say…" The orange-haired bully said, "You're a lot stronger than I thought." Velvet remained silent, using all of her self control to prevent herself from crying. _"It'll be over soon." _She thought and prayed. "What?" Cardin asked, a mocking tone taking hold of his voice, "Can't speak?" His grip tightened around the sensitive appendages, causing Velvet to squeal in pain. "That's what I thought." He said, "Though I guess I shouldn't expect much else from an animal like you." He said, relinquishing his grip and allowing the bunny-girl to fall to her knees. Cardin looked down on her in disgust as she clutched her throbbing ears, "The world would be better off if we just put you animals down." He sneered, turning to leave with his team.

Velvet waited until she was sure she was alone until she allowed her tears to fall. _"Stupid ears!" _She yelled silently, tugging on them herself as if wishing to rip them off. "Why couldn't I just be born normal?" She asked quietly, releasing her own grip on her extra appendages, "I-I Just…" She said, quietly weeping into her hands, "I just want someone to care." She said, collapsing into her hands once more. In truth, Velvet had been alone almost her entire life. Her biological parents had died when she was only a babe and her foster parents were hardly affectionate to what they each perceived to be a lesser being. Velvet never felt the tender care of a parent in all her life, all the girl had ever wanted was a friend in the harsh, unforgiving world.

Then the brown-eyed faunus-girl had set her sights on Beacon, a shining Beacon (No pun intended) of cooperation against a common foe; The young Scarlatina girl had finally dared to allow herself a dream at companionship, perhaps even love. _"But it was all for nothing."_ She thought, nothing changed when she arrived. Sure, most people here were less hostile, but nobody had shown her true compassion, true friendship. "Maybe coming here was a mistake." Velvet often wondered, leaning herself against the library shelves, "Maybe… Maybe I should just leave." She said tearfully, burying her head into her knees.

* * *

The bunny-girl was too held up in her own thoughts to notice a certain onyx-haired ninja appear from the shadows, having seen Velvet's bullying and tears. "Velvet…" Blake said calmly but concerned. The bunny-girl tensed at the new voice but found herself unable to move beyond curl further into her ball, "Go away." She tried to order. Blake moved closer carefully but Velvet's ears picked up on the light steps, "Please," She asked, her voice shaking as new tears began to fall once more, "Please just leave me alone." Blake moved closer, standing above the whimpering faunus girl, "But I want to help you."

Velvet, long since accustomed to it, assumed the girl to be mocking her, "Why would you want to help me?" She asked, somewhat hopefully. Blake found herself at an unusual loss for words, "Because…" She said uneasily, unsure of what she was going to say. A long minute passed before Blake let out a deep breath, "...Because I Understand."

Velvet looked up at Blake, a horrible rage hidden behind her tear-stained, blood-shot eyes, "How would someone like you understand?" Velvet asked bitterly, shocking the black-clad ninja. "Have you ever been truly alone in this world? Have you been reminded each and everyday how much of a piece of trash you are to the world?" Velvet asked/yelled at Blake only to rebury her head into her knees, "Have you ever been forced to go through it because you have nowhere else to go?" Blake took a long time to answer. "Yes…" Blake eventually said, only just holding her composure. Velvet looked at Blake again, confusion in her eyes.

Blake bowed her head, several tears escaping her golden eyes as her hands moved up towards her head. Velvet stared with shock and regret as Blake removed her bow, revealing two small cat ears underneath. Velvet's words died at her throat as she scrambled to apologize for her yelling, "I-I…" Blake shook her head instead, sitting beside Velvet as she tenderly touched the black ribbon, "I've experienced the loneliness," Blake said, her mind fading back to her memories after leaving the White Fang, "I've felt the pain and seen the odd looks." She said. Blake's grip tightened around the black lace and her eyes welled up, gentle streams began to stem from her amber eyes, "But I wasn't nearly as strong as you." She said, bowing her head.

"I was never strong enough to take the hate each day like you have, So I hid." Blake's own voice became ragged, "I-I hid and stood idly by as you suffered. Because I was a c-coward." Blake let her bow drop to the ground as raw emotion took hold of her, "I don't deserve to be a huntress," She said, her tears running freely, "I couldn't come to your defense because I was afraid of being judged. I let you get tortured by that… That Fiend! All because I was afraid!" Blake's golden eyes snapped back up to Velvet's own gentle brown hues, "I-I'm sorry." Blake begged, "I know you can't forgive me but…" Blake's quivering body was soothed as Velvet's gentle hands reached around her and embraced her into a gentle hug. "Shhh…" Velvet said, her own tears having receded, "It's okay…" She said, patting the raven-haired girl's back, "It's okay."

Blake sat, paralyzed by Velvet's forgiveness, before returning the gesture, burying herself into the bunny-girl's brown hair. "I-I promise, I'll make it up to you somehow." Blake said, her tears subsiding, "I-I'll tell Ozpin what Cardin di…" Velvet shook her head and gently stroked Blake's hair, "Don't do that, I can manage him well enough." Velvet said, "There's no need to ruin his life over this." Blake tried to pull herself away, "But…" Velvet disarmed Blake with a gentle smile that she hadn't had since their first day, "Don't worry, I can handle him. Alright?" Blake stared, more than a little confused but nodded. "Good," She said, "Now c'mon, we'd better get some sleep for the trip to Forever Fall tomorrow." Blake wiped her tears away and nodded uneasily. Velvet extended her hand and helped Blake to her feet and handed her her bow. The two began to walk back towards their respective dorms. Velvet, despite her doubts about staying earlier that day, had never been happier. She'd finally found the one thing she truly wanted all her life, she'd finally found a confidant, a companion, a friend.

* * *

**A/N: Somehow I doubt that Velvet's gonna need to deal with Cardin again. Remember what happened during the Forever Fall Trip?**


End file.
